Today : world première of Kris Defoort's 'The Time of Our Singing' in Brussels

Today, the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels presents the world première of The Time of Our Singing, an opera composed by Kris Defoort with a libretto in English by Peter van Kraaij, after Richard Powers' novel.

 

It is the composer's third opera after The Woman Who Walked Into Doors (Brussels, November 23rd, 2001) and House of the Sleeping Beauties (Brussels, May 8th, 2009).

Black Lives Matter, police brutality, rigged elections : these are themes that have remained at the forefront of current affairs over the past year. The work depicts the life of a mixed-race family that is both united and divided by music, against the backdrop of segregation in the post-war United States. The composer conjures an imaginary space in which official history and personal histories intertwine, in which people come together to weave a narrative, and in which jazz and classical music are enriched by one another. (reproduced from the Monnaie website)

The cast includes soprano Claron McFadden (Delia Daley), bas baritone Mark S. Doss (William Daley), bass baritone Simon Bailey (David Strom), tenor Levy Sekgapane (Jonah), baritone Peter Brathwaite (Joey) and jazz singer Abigail Abraham (Ruth). Kwamé Ryan conducts the La Monnaie Chamber orchestra, a jazz quartet and La Monnaie's Children's and Youth Choir.

A recording of the performances will be broadcast by Klara and Musiq3 on November 6.

New programme books for contemporary operas in my collection

I have recently acquired several programme books for contemporary operas :

- Benjamin Attahir, Le Silence des Ombres, Brussels, September 25, 2019 ;
- Pascal Dusapin, Macbeth Underworld, Brussels, September 20, 2019.

The first one is a 120 pages book. It contains :

- detailed synopsis ;
- Benjamin Attahir, Une langue qui est déjà musique ;
- Olivier Lexa, "Vous êtes au bord de ce qui nous éclaire" ;
- Sonia Hossein-Pour, À l'ombre de Debussy ;
- Franck Javourez, Trois petits drames pour marionnettes ;
- Maurice Maeterlinck, extraits de la préface des Trois petits drames.

The entire book is bilingual (French and Dutch). It also contains a 40 pages booklet with complete cast and crew and detailed biographies of the artists (with black and white headshot). It is bilingual (French and Dutch). There is a second 110 pages book with the complete libretto, also bilingual.

The second is a 128 pages book. It contains :

- Frédéric Boyer, Argument ;
- Pascal Dusapin, Ces deux-là ;
- Frédéric Boyer, Un opéra exégèse de Macbeth ;
- Alain Altinoglu, Une concentration du discours musical ;
- Thomas Jolly, Piéger l'esprit et glacer l'âme ;
- Irina Kaiserman, Under the world of Pascal Dusapin - L'outre-monde ;
- Maxime McKinley, Schéma d'orientation (pour se perdre dans les opéras de Pascal Dusapin) ;
- Line Cottegnies, 'Macbeth' ou le sommeil assassiné.

The entire book is bilingual (French and Dutch). It also contains a 48 pages booklet with complete cast and crew and detailed biographies of the artists (with black and white headshot). It is bilingual (French and Dutch).There is a second 126 pages book with the complete libretto in English, French and Dutch.

I also received two programme books from Helsinki :

- Sebastian Fagerlund, Höstsonaten (Autumn Sonata), Helsinki, September 8, 2017 ;
- Jaakko Kuusisto, Jää (Ice), Helsinki, January 25, 2019.

The first one is a 36 pages booklet. It contains :

- complete cast ;
- synopsis ;
- short biographies of crew members ;
- Pekka Hako, The torment of inevitability, an interview with Sebastian Fagerlund ;
- Gunilla Hemming, Daughter turned mother, mother turned daughter.

The booklet is in three languages : Finnish, Swedish and English.

The second is a 36 pages booklet. It contains :

- complete cast ;
- synopsis ;
- biographies of crew members ;
- Petra Rönkä, Music rings with the power of nature - Jaakko Kuusisto's thoughts about Ice.

The booklet is in three languages : Finnish, Swedish and English.

I bought one programme book from the Vienna State Opera House :

- Manfred Trojahn, Orest, Vienna, March 31, 2019 (first performance of a new production).
 The opera was first performed in Amsterdam on December 8, 2011.

It is a 172 pages book. It contains : 

- Marco Arturo Marelli, synopsis ;
- technical details about the work ;
- Günter Figal, Im Freiraum der Musik - Manfred Trojahn und seine Oper 'Orest' ;
- Oliver Lang, Oper hat sehr viel mit Arbeit zu tun, dialogue with Manfred Trojahn ;
- Robert von Ranke-Graves, Der Orest-Mythos ;
- Karlheinz Töchterle, Macht uns Theater besser oder nur Spass ? ;
- Hilde Haider-Pregler, Über Euripides und seinen Orest ;
- Konral Paul Liessmann, Der Zauber des Dionysischen ;
- Julian Schutting, Wie viele Oreste müsste man kennen ? ;
- Oliver Lang, Zwischen Blutrache und göttlicher Gnade ;
- Georg Titsche, Über des Schreckliche ;
- Bernd Deininger, Das Schuldig-Werden öffnet das innere Auge ;
- Bernhard Baumgarter, Die Last der Freiheit ;
- Oliver Lang, Die Frage nach dem Umgang mit Schuld (dialogue with Manfred Trojahn) ;
- Gerald Resch, Ein subjektives Hörprotokoll ;
- Volkhard Steude, Annäherungen an Orest ;
- Erich Seitter, Gesangsstimmen in Orest ;
- Andreas Lang, Der Zauber der Liebe zum (Musik-)Theater ;
- Oswald Panagl, Maskenspiele als Deutungsmuster ;
- Anna Baar, Morden in Echtzeit ;
- Andreas Lang, Eine ungemein gelungene und ansprechende Oper (dialogue with Michael Boder) ;
- Daniel Ender and Oliver Lang, Mit der Schuld wird Orest leben müssen (dialogue with Marco Arturo Marelli).

The book is entirely in German.

I also acquired some older programme books :

 
- Peter Aderhold, Luther, Erfurt, September 14, 2003 ;
- Philippe Boesmans, Reigen, Braunschweig, February 5, 1998 ;
- Andras Hamary, Seid still, Stuttgart, October 17, 1990 ;
- György Ligeti, Le Grand macabre, Bern, March 8, 1992 ;

and the 56 pages programme brochure from the 2004 International Festival for New Music Theater in Munich, with 5 world premières :

 
- Johannes Maria Staud, Berenice, May 12 ;
- Qu Xiao-song, Versuchung (The Test), May 13 ;
- Vykintas Baltakas, Cantio, May 18 ;
- Mark André, ...22,13..., May 20 ;
- Brian Ferneyhough, Shadowtime, May 25.

I now have 700 programme books for contemporary operas. I have scanned all covers and uploaded them to this flickr folder.
 

Today : world première of 'Le Silence des ombres' by Benjamin Attahir in Brussels

Today, the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels presents the world première of Le Silence des ombres, a triptych composed by Benjamin Attahir with libretti in French based on Maurice Maeterlinck's plays La Mort de Tintagiles, Intérieur and Alladine et Palomides.

It is the composer's first opera.

the young composer-conductor Benjamin Attahir and director Olivier Lexa opt decidedly for silence, the invisible, the unsayable, and restrained dramatic tension. ‘The tragedy should unfold in each spectator’s dream...’. (reproduced from La Monnaie website)

The cast includes soprano Julia Szproch (Tintagiles and Alladine), soprano Raquel Camarinha (Ygraine, Marie and Astolaine), mezzo Clémence Poussin (Bellangère and Marthe) and bass Renaud Delaigue (Aglovale, Ablamore). The composer conducts the La Monnaie Chamber Ensemble. Olivier Lexa directs.

The performance should last about 3 hours and 30 minutes, with a 30 minutes interval.

The venue is the Koninklijke Vlaamse Schouwburg (KVS).

Today : world première of 'Macbeth Underworld' by Pascal Dusapin in Brussels

Today, the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels presents the world première of Macbeth Underworld, an opera by Pascal Dusapin with a libretto in French by Frédéric Boyer based on Shakespeare.

It is the composer's ninth opera after, among others Roméo et Juliette (1988), To Be Sung (Nanterre, November 17, 1994), Perelà, uomo di fumo (Paris, February 24, 2003), Faustus, the Last Night (Berlin, January 26, 2006) and Penthesilea (Brussels, March 31, 2015).

The composer delves into the darkest regions of the human soul, via iconic symbols of evil in humankind : Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The result is a bloodstained gothic opera, in which the ill-fated couple is condemned to relive its own tragedy, haunting their memory and ours. (reproduced from La Monnaie website)

The cast includes mezzo Magdalena Kozena (Lady Macbeth), baritone Georg Nigl (Macbeth), soprano Ekaterina Lekhina, mezzo Lilly Jørstad, mezzo Christel Loetzsch (Three Weird Sisters), bass Kristinn Sigmundsson (Ghost) and tenor Graham Clark (Porter). Alain Altinoglu conducts La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra and Women's Chorus. Thomas Jolly directs.

The performance should last 1 hour and 45 minutes. No interval.

The opera will susequently be performed in Paris (Opéra Comique, starting March 25, 2020) and Rouen with Franck Ollu conducting.

New programme books from Amsterdam and Brussels in my collection

Last week, I travelled to Amsterdam and Brussels to attend the following performances :

- John Adams, Girls of the Golden West, Amsterdam (Muziektheater, March 5 and March 7) ;
- Micha Hamel, Caruso a Cuba, Amsterdam (International Theater Amsterdam, formerly Stadsschouwburg, March 6) ;
- György Kurtag, Fin de partie, Amsterdam (Muziektheater, March 8) ;
- Donnacha Dennehy, The Second Violinist, Amsterdam (Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, March 9) ;
- Mark Grey, Frankenstein, Brussels (La Monnaie, March 10).

Therefore, I can add to my collection the 5 programme books.

- John Adams : Girls of the Golden West, Amterdam :
It is a 128 pages book. It is divided in 4 parts : Reis (Trip) ; Rush ; Strijd (Fight) and Vooruit (Forward). Some of the articles are Dutch translation of articles already published in the programme book for the world première in San Francisco.

It contains :

- complete cast ;
- contents ;
- Scène-overzicht ;
- AliceMiller Cotter : Huiswaarts ;
- John Adams : Wat doet een componist ? ;
- Richard Sheinin : Een gouden vondst ;
- Nancy J. Taniguchi : Vrouwen en de goldrush in Californië ;
- Peter Sellars : Probleem = Oplossing ;
- Josiah Royce : Geschiedenis van een mijnwerkerskamp ;
- Elisha Perkins : Goldrush-dagboek ;
- Gary Kamiya : De schaduwzijde van de goldrush ;
- Benjamin Madley : Genocide ;
- Frederick Douglass : De betekenis van de Fourth of July voor de 'negro' ;
- Peter Sellars : Synopsis ;
- complete libretto in English with Dutch translation ;
- several portraits from the 19th Century goldrush in California.

There is a separate 24 pages booklet with complete cast and crew, synopsis (in Dutch and English) and biographies of the cast members.

- Donnacha Dennehy : The Second Violinist, Amsterdam :
It is a 20 pages booklet, with complete cast and crew, A Dark Road by Enda Walsh, A Note on Gesualdo by Donnacha Dennehy and biographies of the artists.

- Mark Grey : Frankenstein, Brussels :
It is a 128 pages book. It contains :
- complete cast ;
- Antonio Cuenca Ruiz : Argument ;
- Alex Ollé : Un retour aux origines ;
- Mark Grey : Une histoire d'aveuglement ;
- Julia Canosa i Serra : Déconstruire et reconstruire 'Frankenstein' ;
- Susan J. Wolfson : 'Frankenstein', du roman au livret ;
- Andy Mousley : 'Frankenstein' et le post-humanisme ;
- Charles Shafaieh : Découvrir de nouveaux paysages sonores ;
- quotes from Thomas Hobbes, Alan Turing, Donna Haraway, Aldous Huxley, Rosi Braidotti, Francis Fukuyama, Friedrich Nietzsche, Hannah Arendt, Chris Marker and Aeschylus.

The book is entirely bilingual (Dutch and French).
A second volume of 104 pages contains the libretto in three languages : English, Dutch and French.
A separate 44 pages booklet contains the complete cast and crew and biographies of the artists.

- Micha Hamel : Caruso a Cuba, Amsterdam :
It is a 24 pages booklet, with complete cast and crew, synopsis (in Dutch and English), an article on the May 12, 1920 bombing at the Opera Theater in Havana, an article on Enrico Caruso and biographies of the artists.

- György Kurtag : Fin de partie, Amsterdam :
It is a 112 pages book. It is divided in two parts : 'Spel' ('Game') and 'Einde' ('End'). It contains :

- complete cast ;
- scène-overzicht ;
- 1st part ('Spel'), with quotes from : Samuel Beckett, György Kurtag, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Jean-Marie Le Clézio, Thomas Mann, Georg Büchner, E. M. Cioran, Blaise Pascal, William Shakespeare, John Milton, Tom Driver, Franz Kafka, Friedrich Nietzsche, Elmer Schönberger, Nathalie Léger and Clancy Sigal ;
- several color photos from the staging in Milan ;
- Cesare Fertonani : Fin de partie in het kort ;
- Axel Schalk : Theater waarin men niet meer is ;
- Cesare Fertonani : De muziek van Fin de partie ;
- Maurice Valency : Spel zonder toeschouwers ;
- Catherine Laws : Beckett en Kurtag, Kurtag en Beckett ;
- Pierre Audi : Kurtags Fin de partie ;
- the complete libretto in French, with a Dutch translation.

There is a separate 20 pages booklet with complete cast and crew, synopsis (in Dutch and English) and biographies of the cast members.

I now have 648 programme books for contemporary operas. I have scanned the covers and uploaded the images to this flickr folder.

Today : world première of 'Frankenstein' by Mark Grey in Brussels

Today, the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels presents the world première of Frankenstein, an opera composed by Mark Grey, with a libretto based on Mary W. Shelley's novel.

It is the composer's first opera.

‘Accursed creator ! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust ?’ Unlike the film that was later made of it, Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein told the sad story of a creature born out of a scientific experiment who strives for good, yet does evil and is consequently disowned by his creator. As a philosophical reflection on the human condition, on the technology that gives humanity power over life and death, and as a warning to a society that threatens to cast out the individual, the American composer Mark Grey returns to this original story, 200 years after Mary Shelley wrote it. (reproduced from the Bill Holab Music website)

The cast includes baritone Scott Hendricks (Victor Frankenstein), tenor Topi Lehtipuu (Creature), soprano Eleonore Marguerre (Elizabeth), baritone Andrew Schroeder (Dr. Walton / Prosecutor) and tenor Christopher Gillett (Henry). Bassem Akiki conducts the La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Alex Ollé (La Fura dels Baus) directs.

The required orchestra is the following (information provided by the composer's offices) :

- 2 flutes (doubling piccolo), 2 oboes (doubling English horn), 2 clarinets (doubling bass clarinet), 2 bassoons (doubling contrabassoon) ;
- 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones (doubling bass trombone), 1 tuba;
- timpani and percussions (3 players) ;
- harp, celesta, sampler keyboard, electronic soundscapes ;
- strings.

The performance should last about 2 hours and 40 minutes, including the interval.

It is the third opera based on Shelley's novel, after Frankenstein by Gordon Kampe (Berlin, Deutsche Oper - Tischlerei, January 30, 2018) and Frankenstein by Jan Dvorak (Hamburg, May 20, 2018).

The score is published by Bill Holab Music.

New programme books in my collection : Dove, Schnyder and Zender

I have recently acquired three new programme books for contemporary operas :

- Jonathan Dove, The Day After, London (ENO Studio Live), May 26, 2017 (half of a 32 pages brochure, the other half is about Gilbert & Sullivan's Trial by Jury) ;
- Daniel Schnyder, Charlie Parker's Yardbird, London (ENO at Hackney Empire), June 9, 2017 (24 pages brochure) ;
- Hans Zender, Stephen Climax, Brussels (La Monnaie), Novembre 10, 1990 (144 pages book).

I now have 488 programme books for contemporary operas. All scanned covers are in this flickr folder.

New season 2015-2016 at La Monnaie in Brussels

Yesterday, I also received the program book for the 2015-2016 season at La Monnaie in Brussels.

Several productions will be staged outside the usual Théâtre de La Monnaie, in several places not conceived for opera performances. Other productions had to be cancelled because of budget cut by the federal government.

Here are the remaining productions :

- Gaetano Donizetti : L'Elisir d'amore, conducted by Thomas Rösner, directed by Damiano Michieletto (first staged in Madrid in December 2013), at the Cirque Royal ;
- Thomas Adès : Powder her Face, conducted by Alejo Pérez, directed by Mariusz Trelinski (new production, with first performance in Warsaw next month), at Les Halles in Schaerbeek ;
- Gaspare Spontini : La Vestale, conducted by Alessandro de Marchi, directed by Eric Lacascade (first performed in Paris in October 2013), at the Cirque Royal ;
- Björk (with vocal arrangements and new composition by Anat Spiegel) : Medulla, conducted by Bassem Akiki, directed by Sjaron Minailo (new production), at La Monnaie, salle Malibran ;
- Engelbert Humperdinck : Hänsel und Gretel, conducted by Lothar Koenigs, with puppets and live projections by Chicago-based group Manual Cinema (new production), at Palais des Beaux-Arts ;
- Pascal Dusapin : To be Sung, conducted by Bassem Akiki, directed by Sjaron Minailo (new production), at Flagey ;
- Florian Leopold Gassmann : L'Opera seria, conducted by René Jacobs, directed by Patrick Kinmonth (new production), at the Cirque Royal ;
- Hector Berlioz : Béatrice et Bénédict, conducted by Jérémie Rhorer, directed by Richard Brunel (new production), for the reopening of La Monnaie ;
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : Mitridate, rè di Ponto, conducted by Christophe Rousset, directed by Robert Carsen (revival, first performed in October 2007) ;
- Mark Grey : Frankenstein, conducted by Leo Hussain, directed by Alex Ollé (La Fura dels Baus), world première.

Some concert performances are also planned (at the Palais des Beaux-Arts) :
- Anton Rubinstein : Demon, conducted by Mikhail Tatarnikov ;
- Francesco Cila : Adriana Lecouvreur, conducted by Evelino Pido.

Here are the cancelled productions :

- Erich Wolfgang Korngold : Die tote Stadt, conducted by Lothar Koenigs, directed by Mariusz Trelinski (new production) ;
- Kurt Weill : Die Dreigroschenoper, conducted by Samuel Jean, directed by Olivier Py (new production) ;
- Claudio Monteverdi : L'Incoronazione di Poppea, conducted by René Jacobs, directed by Alvis Hermanis (new production).

It is amazing what one can do, even on a reduced budget, when one is really committed ! 10 operas by 10 composers in 4 languages (Italian, English, German, French) or even 5 (Russian for the Demon), from Mozart to contemporary opera, including a world première and 2 20th century operas. This season looks very promising.

Received in the mail this morning : program book for Dusapin's 'Penthesilea' in Brussels

This Tuesday morning, I have received the two volumes published for by the Théâtre de La Monnaie in Brussels for the world première performance of Pascal Dusapin's new opera Penthesilea.

The first volume (112 pages) contains :

- the complete cast ;
- the synopsis, written by librettist Beate Haeckl ;
- an article by the composer Pascal Dusapin ;
- an lettre written by Belgian artist Berlinde De Bruyckere to J. M. Coetzee ;
- an article by musicologist Harry Halbreich ;
- an article by Murat Alat ;
- an article by Hélène Cixous, Achille est Penthésilée est Achille.

There are also a number of quotes by Heinrich von Kleist, Pascal Dusapin, Gilles Deleuze, Maurice Blanchot, Michel Foucault and Georges Bataille, as well as several photos of sculptures by Berlinde De Bruyckere.

The whole book is bilingual, Dutch and French. A 40 pages separate booklet contains the complete and detailed cast and biographies.

The second volume (44 pages) contains the complete libretto in the original German, with Dutch and French translations.

Scans of the front covers of all program books for contemporary opera I have are available in a flickr folder.

Today : world première of 'Penthesilea' by Pascal Dusapin in Brussels

Today, Pascal Dusapin's new opera, Penthesilea, with a libretto (in French) by Beate Haeckl and the composer after Heinrich von Kleist, will be performed in Brussels (Théâtre de la Monnaie).

Penthesilea, the proud queen of the Amazons ! After the accidental death of her sister Hippolyta, she took part in the Trojan War to prove the courage of the Amazons. A complex and deadly game of love and hate, attraction and repulsion arose between Penthesilea and Achilles. It was Heinrich von Kleist (1808) who brought the subject into the modern era. In his version, Achilles does not kill Penthesilea, but vice versa : in a moment of tragic madness she tears apart the one she loves with her teeth. (reproduced from La Monnaie website)

The cast includes Natascha Petrinsky (Penthesilea), Marisol Montalvo (Prothoe), Georg Nigl (Achilles), Werner van Mechelen (Odysseus). La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra and Chorus are conducted by Franck Ollu. Pierre Audi directs.

It is Dusapin's seventh opera since Romeo and Juliet in 1988. His most recent stage works are Perelà - Uomo di fuomo (2001), Faustus, The Last Night (2004) and Passion (2008). Kleist's play has already been adapted to the stage : by René Koering (Scène de chasse, Montpellier, 2009) and Othmar Schoeck (1927).

The performance should last about 1 hour and 45 minutes (no intermission). The production will be available for streaming on the opera house website from April 23rd to May 13th. No broadcast seems to be planned. The opera will be also performed in Strasbourg (Musica festival) next September.

Received this Thursday morning

This Thursday, I received the following in the mail :

- program book and libretto for the world première performance of Philippe Boesmans' opera Au Monde in Brussels

- May 2014 magazine from the Stadttheater Fürth.

New Season 2014-2015 at La Monnaie (De Munt) in Brussels

During the 2014-2015 season, the following operas will be performed at La Monnaie (De Munt) in Brussels :

- Richard Strauss : Daphne, conducted by Lothar Koenigs, directed by Guy Joosten ;
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : Don Giovanni, conducted by Ludovic Morlot, directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski ;
- Georg Friedrich Haendel : Tamerlano, conducted by Christophe Rousset, directed by Pierre Audi ;
- Georg Friedrich Haendel : Alcina, conducted by Christophe Rousset, directed by Pierre Audi ;
- Wolfgang Rihm : Jakob Lenz, conducted by Franck Ollu, directed by Andrea Breth ;
- Pascal Dusapin : Penthesilea, conducted by Ludovic Morlot,directed by Katie Mitchell ;
- Giuseppe Verdi : Un Ballo in maschera, conducted by Carlo Rizzi, directed by Alex Ollé ;
- Sergei Rachmaninov : Aleko, The Miserly Knight and Francesca da Rimini, conducted by Mikhail Tatarnikov, directed by Kirsten Dehlholm.

and in concert :
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : Die Entführung aus dem Serail, conducted by René Jacobs ;
- Franz Schubert : Fierrabras, conducted by Adam Fischer ;
- Giovanni Paisiello : Il Barbiere di Siviglia, conducted by René Jacobs ;
- Frank Martin : Le Vin herbé, conducted by Hans-Christoph Rademann.

1 world première : Penthesilea ;
4 new productions : Daphne, Don Giovanni, Jakob Lenz and the Rachmaninov trilogy ;
3 revivals : Tamerlano (first performed in Stockholm in 2000, then in Munich in 2008), Alcina (first performed in Stockholm in 2000, then in Amsterdam in 2005) and Un Ballo in maschera (first performed in January 2013).

Since 2007, the following operas received their world première performances in Brussels :
- Luc Brewaeys, L'Uomo dal fiore in bocca, in February 2007 ;
- Benoît Mernier,  Frühlings Erwachen, in March 2007 ;
- Pierre Bartholomée, La Lumière Antigone, in April 2008 ;
- Kris Defoort, House of the Sleeping Beauties, in May 2009 ;
- Toshio Hosokawa, Matsukaze, in May 2011 ;
- Benoît Mernier, La Dispute, in March 2013 ;
- Howard Moody, Sindbad - A Journey through Living Flames, in February 2014 ;
- Philippe Boesmans, Au Monde, in March 2014.

With an average of one new opera every season, La Monnaie in Brussels remains one of the most interesting opera theatres in Europe.